Iran ranks first among the world countries producing sturgeon and salmon fish, an Iranian agricultural official announced on Saturday.

The July 2015 nuclear deal played an important in reviving the Iranian fishing industry, Head of Iran Fisheries Organization Hassan Salehi said at a local ceremony in this northern Iranian province, IRNA wrote.

Salehi, who is also deputy agriculture minister, said Iran exported 120,000 tons of fishery products during the past Iranian calendar year ended on March 20, 2017.

The exported fisheries earned Iran $412 million, the official added.

When Russia in retaliation for the US and European sanctions did limit their imports from the country, that provided Iran with an ample opportunity to capture the market despite lack of needed infrastructure to meet the demands, Salehi noted.

But today Iran fishing industry can meet demands of countries like Russia, importing 100,000 tons of fishery products from the country, he added.

Last year, out of 160,000 tons of the salmon produced in Iran, 10,000 tons was exported, he said adding the country, in the current year, is following to achieve a 30,000-ton target on salmon production.